PPP/C campaign manager says - Wage increases normal at this time of year
-- election season coincidental
Written by Chevon Singh
Monday, 07 November 2011 02:33
Source - Guyana Chronicle
Minister Robert Persaud
SINCE during the time of Dr. Cheddi Jagan, the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has made clear that it is interested not only in the creation of wealth, but in the proper distribution of wealth among its citizens.
The party’s campaign manager, Agriculture Minister, Robert Persaud, made this statement on Friday last when refuting opposition parties’ assertions of elections’ gimmickry in relation to President Bharrat Jadgeo’s recent announcement of an eight percent across-the-board salary increase for government employees with effect from 1st January, 2011.
According to Persaud, the decision to increase government employees’ wages and salaries can in no way be seen as electioneering, but fits into standard arrangements that are announced at this time every year.
Persaud said: “We all know that in this country an award is made to public servants at this time. It so happens that it coincides with elections. We also know, too, that we try to have some level of uniformity in terms of the wage increase given to people from the public service, and the announcement certainly fits into those patterns and those established arrangements we had from precedents in this regard.”
He noted also that those who are behind the opposition parties’ claims are being “mischievous” and are demonstrating how “unsympathetic” they are to the public servants, the sugar workers, the teachers, policemen and soldiers, and all those who will be benefitting from this increase.
Minister Persaud further informed that, under this administration, wages have increased by 675 per cent.
“All categories have had a more than 700 percent increase since 1992. If the economy is growing, if we have more capacity to pay and to provide better wages to all our people, we will do so as a government. You (cannot) one minute accuse the government of not doing enough for workers, and when we do something for workers you say that is electioneering,” he opined.
At a press briefing on Friday, the Alliance For Change had described the wage payout as a form of voter-bribing, and had dubbed it an election gimmick.
The AFC contended that the workers of Guyana demand better wages, and that it, as a party, has a viable plan to ensure employees receive a 20% increase in wages and salaries should the AFC be elected to office.
In this regard, Persaud called on those responsible to justify the reasons for their disapproval of the much-deserving wage increase.
“Are they saying that these categories of employees do not deserve a wage increase? I wish that they could say that publicly – that we should ignore workers getting better increases,” he said.
-- election season coincidental
Written by Chevon Singh
Monday, 07 November 2011 02:33
Source - Guyana Chronicle
Minister Robert PersaudSINCE during the time of Dr. Cheddi Jagan, the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has made clear that it is interested not only in the creation of wealth, but in the proper distribution of wealth among its citizens.
The party’s campaign manager, Agriculture Minister, Robert Persaud, made this statement on Friday last when refuting opposition parties’ assertions of elections’ gimmickry in relation to President Bharrat Jadgeo’s recent announcement of an eight percent across-the-board salary increase for government employees with effect from 1st January, 2011.
According to Persaud, the decision to increase government employees’ wages and salaries can in no way be seen as electioneering, but fits into standard arrangements that are announced at this time every year.
Persaud said: “We all know that in this country an award is made to public servants at this time. It so happens that it coincides with elections. We also know, too, that we try to have some level of uniformity in terms of the wage increase given to people from the public service, and the announcement certainly fits into those patterns and those established arrangements we had from precedents in this regard.”
He noted also that those who are behind the opposition parties’ claims are being “mischievous” and are demonstrating how “unsympathetic” they are to the public servants, the sugar workers, the teachers, policemen and soldiers, and all those who will be benefitting from this increase.
Minister Persaud further informed that, under this administration, wages have increased by 675 per cent.
“All categories have had a more than 700 percent increase since 1992. If the economy is growing, if we have more capacity to pay and to provide better wages to all our people, we will do so as a government. You (cannot) one minute accuse the government of not doing enough for workers, and when we do something for workers you say that is electioneering,” he opined.
At a press briefing on Friday, the Alliance For Change had described the wage payout as a form of voter-bribing, and had dubbed it an election gimmick.
The AFC contended that the workers of Guyana demand better wages, and that it, as a party, has a viable plan to ensure employees receive a 20% increase in wages and salaries should the AFC be elected to office.
In this regard, Persaud called on those responsible to justify the reasons for their disapproval of the much-deserving wage increase.
“Are they saying that these categories of employees do not deserve a wage increase? I wish that they could say that publicly – that we should ignore workers getting better increases,” he said.
